Ukraine’s intelligence services claim they have managed to strike two of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighters while parked at their base, deep inside Russia. Yet, hours after the announcement made by Ukraine’s GUR (Main Intelligence Directorate) spokesperson Andriy Yusov, the extent of the damages inflicted to the two aircraft have not been fully confirmed. The two Sukhoi Su-57 codenamed by NATO “Felon” had been parked on the tarmac of Akhtubinsk Air Base located in Astrakhan Oblast, some 365 mi / 589 km from the military front line separating warring Ukraine and Russia.
First flown in 2010, Russian’s Su-57 are fifth generation stealth combat aircraft that were expected to equip the Russian Air Force with a potential adversary to the US Air Force highly celebrated F-22 Raptors built by Lockheed Martin. Instead, the aircraft flight testing and development programme have suffered delays and setbacks including the crash of one aircraft in 2019.
Akhtubinsk Air Base, where the Su-57s strike took place is home to the Russian Ministry of Defense’s 929th State Flight Test Center is where most of the Su-57 programme flight testing has been conducted. The Russian Air Force has reportedly been in the process of activating its first fully operational Su-57 unit as the 23rd Guard Aviation Regiment, based at Dzyomzi, whose full complement of 24 aircraft should be complete by year’s end.
Throughout the current war with Ukraine, the Russian Air Force has made a point of keeping the Su-57 from the battle in order to preserve its reputation. Ukraine which at times has managed to successfully strike Russian Air Force aircraft parked at remote air bases using long range drones has also claimed it shot down more than 350 ennemy aircraft since the start of the war in February 2022.